FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.3.3-4

पूर्वं निर्जित्य षड्‌वर्गं जेष्यामो राजमन्त्रिण: । तत: सचिवपौराप्तकरीन्द्रानस्य कण्टकान् ॥ ३ ॥ एवं क्रमेण जेष्याम: पृथ्वीं सागरमेखलाम् । इत्याशाबद्धहृदया न पश्यन्त्यन्तिकेऽन्तकम् ॥ ४ ॥
pūrvaṁ nirjitya ṣaḍ-vargaṁ
[poorvam nirjitya shad-vargam]
jeṣyāmo rāja-mantriṇaḥ
[jeshyaamo raaja-mantrinah]
tataḥ saciva-paurāpta-
[tatah sachiva-pauraapta-]
karīndrān asya kaṇṭakān
[kareendraan asya kantakaan]
evaṁ krameṇa jeṣyāmaḥ
[evam kramena jeshyaamah]
pṛthvīṁ sāgara-mekhalām
[prithveem saagara-mekhalaam]
ity āśā-baddha-hṛdayā
[ity aashaa-baddha-hridayaa]
na paśyanty antike ’ntakam
[na pashyanty antike ’ntakam]
Word-for-word
pūrvam — first of all nirjitya — conquering ṣaṭ-vargam — the five senses and the mind jeṣyāmaḥ — we will conquer rāja-mantriṇaḥ — the royal ministers tataḥ — then saciva — the personal secretaries paura — the citizens of the capital āpta — the friends kari-indrān — the elephant keepers asya — ridding ourselves of kaṇṭakān — the thorns evam — in this way krameṇa — gradually jeṣyāmaḥ — we shall conquer pṛthvīm — the earth sāgara — the ocean mekhalām — whose girdle iti — thus thinking āśā — by hopes baddha — bound up hṛdayāḥ — their hearts na paśyanti — they do not see antike — nearby antakam — their own end.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pūrvaṁ nirjitya ṣaḍ-vargaṁ
pūrvam
first of all
nirjitya
conquering
ṣaṭ-vargam
the five senses and the mind
jeṣyāmo rāja-mantriṇaḥ
jeṣyāmaḥ
we will conquer
rāja-mantriṇaḥ
the royal ministers
tataḥ saciva-paurāpta-
tataḥ
then
saciva
the personal secretaries
paura
the citizens of the capital
āpta
the friends
karīndrān asya kaṇṭakān
kari-indrān
the elephant keepers
asya
ridding ourselves of
kaṇṭakān
the thorns
evaṁ krameṇa jeṣyāmaḥ
evam
in this way
krameṇa
gradually
jeṣyāmaḥ
we shall conquer
pṛthvīṁ sāgara-mekhalām
pṛthvīm
the earth
sāgara
the ocean
mekhalām
whose girdle
ity āśā-baddha-hṛdayā
iti
thus thinking
āśā
by hopes
baddha
bound up
hṛdayāḥ
their hearts
na paśyanty antike ’ntakam
na paśyanti
they do not see
antike
nearby
antakam
their own end.
“Kings and politicians imagine: ‘First I will conquer my senses and mind; then I will subdue my chief ministers and rid myself of the thorn-pricks of my advisors, citizens, friends and relatives, as well as the keepers of my elephants. In this way I will gradually conquer the entire earth.’ Because the hearts of these leaders are bound by great expectations, they fail to see death waiting nearby.
Purport

To satisfy their greed for power, determined politicians, dictators and military leaders undergo severe austerities and sacrifice, with much self-discipline. Then they lead their great nations in a struggle to control the sea, land, air and space. Although the politicians and their followers will soon be dead — since birth and death are all inevitable in this world — they persist in their frenetic struggle for ephemeral glory.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
“'First I will conquer my senses and mind; then I will subdue my chief ministers and rid myself of my advisors, citizens, friends and relatives, as well as the keepers of my elephants and my enemies. In this way I will gradually conquer the entire earth girdled by the ocean.” With their hearts bound by great expectations, they fail to see death waiting nearby. Lust is shown in two verses. Since no one can be a king while having lust for sense objects, first he must control his senses and mind. Asya kaṇṭakān means “enemy kings.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Politicians dream of conquering senses, then ministers, then the world — and miss death standing beside them the whole time. The hidden lesson: ambition without remembrance of death is exhausting. Real self-conquest aims at liberation, not at expanding control.
Reflection Questions
  • What am I trying to conquer that won't matter once I'm gone?
  • How does remembering death today reorder my plans?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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